When associated in a display device having a visual display, an ultrasonic sensor is generally comprised of discrete sensors placed apart from a visual display. Such an arrangement is not ideal. By placing the sensors apart from the visual display, the size of the device is increased. For example, the size of a cell phone having both a visual display and a peripherally configured fingerprint sensor may be larger than a cell phone without the fingerprint sensor. Furthermore, commercially available visual displays do not extend functionality to the user over the full surface of the display device because the perimeter portions of the visual display are occupied by electrical components, such as light sources, electrical traces, address lines and electronic circuitry for providing an image to the user. Additionally, air gaps or voids between layered components of commercially available displays may introduce barriers to the transmission of high-frequency ultrasonic energy, complicating efforts to obtain accurate information about an object that is being sensed.